


Before We Started It Was Over

by L_ass_hton



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Ash & Luke's family are mentioned, I Tried, I'm new here, I'm so sorry, M/M, Mates, Original Character(s), Please Don't Hurt Me, Poorly written, Smut, Soulmates, This probably belongs on wattpad, Wolves, calum is barely in it, yep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 16:26:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2857385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_ass_hton/pseuds/L_ass_hton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He guesses he should have known, in hindsight. This mess could have been prevented before it happened. He thinks that maybe everybody knew, everybody who wasn’t them had the feeling, had the thought that maybe things were a little less innocent than he believed them to be, but no one told him and so he wasn’t prepared. He never saw it coming. </p><p>--</p><p>I'm sorry I suck at summarising</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before We Started It Was Over

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :))
> 
> I am completely new to AO3 and this is my first ever published 5SOS fan fiction. I hope it's okay. It's totally about werewolves, which has totally never been done before. -.-  
> I'm sorry if this is lame, poorly written, cringe-worthy, full of spelling/grammatical errors or if the smut is terrible.  
> Thank you for reading and feel free to leave a comment and tell me what your thoughts are if you like. All constructive criticism is welcomed/encouraged.  
> You have a beautiful day/night/evening/morning/life my friend.  
> x  
> Title is taken from Daylight by 5 Seconds of Summer

He guesses he should have known, in hindsight. This mess could have been prevented before it happened. He thinks that maybe everybody knew, everybody who wasn’t them had the feeling, had the thought that maybe things were a little less innocent than he believed them to be, but no one told him and so he wasn’t prepared. He never saw it coming.

\--

Luke remembers when he is only four, and his parents tell him all about what it’s like, being in a pack, being a wolf, being able to embrace your true form and feel freedom, being a part of something beautiful and amazing, finding your other half and feeling complete. It makes Luke starry-eyed every time he hears it. In kindergarten he draws pictures of what he thinks his wolf might look like, if he will be dark like his father or light like his mother, if he will be big and strong like the alphas are or maybe if he won’t be. It doesn’t really matter to him, either way; all he wants to know is what it’s like to be able to taste freedom, to know life.

The other kids tell him his drawings look more like clouds than wolves, but it doesn’t bother him. He knows what he means, when he draws them. The other kids don’t really talk to him anyway. He’s Luke the Loner from the very beginning. No one sees him, and if they do, no one cares.

He remembers entering primary school and being taught about bigger things, like pack traditions and political structures, things that he doesn’t find nearly as magical or as interesting as transformations and the connection to your own wolf. But then he learns about things like mates, and alphas and omegas, and he can’t be more fascinated, can’t wait to grow up so he can find his soul mate on the day that they are destined to reveal themselves, on either Luke’s or his mate’s 18th birthday, depending on who is the youngest of the two.

Luke remembers when he meets his first true best friend. He’s the first person that actually sees him, the real him. He’s the first person that treats him like his existence is actually important. And he is the one who sticks with Luke through thick and thin from day one. It’s at a time when Luke, being smaller and scrawnier than some of the boys who are obviously growing up a lot faster than him, is subjected to bullying. He is only 9 at the time, so he doesn’t know how to deal with it or how to pretend to be brave and strong like his father, like the older wolves. So he just takes it, and vents his frustrations and anger out at home by writing stories and songs.  
It happens on the day when he is wearing his new glasses, because his mum thinks that they are ‘so cute, honey! They really suit you. The kids will think they’re cool,’ and boy how wrong she is as Luke receives endless insults and threats from them. He is on the verge of tears when suddenly, the group of boys who have been terrorising him are scattering, fear written all over their faces as Ashton Irwin, the alpha’s son, is standing up for Luke.  
Luke nearly dies in shock. He’s seen the boy walking around before, admiring him for his already growing strength and leadership at the mere age of 11, but has never thought he’d ever see him up close, not until he would be seeing him at pack meetings at least, when Luke was old enough. He never even thought Ashton would notice Luke. But here the boy is, standing in front of him protectively as Luke cowers against the locker he’s just been shoved up against.  
“Hey, leave him alone.” Ashton growls at the group of boys. Some of them back off, some of them scowl at him for ‘acting like he’s the alpha already,’ but Ashton doesn’t care, he just stands taller and glares at them. “He didn’t do anything to you.” The boys eventually slink away, and the alpha’s son is turning around to face Luke, putting a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry.” He says softly. “I think they’re cool.” His smile makes Luke think of the sun immediately, and Luke just gets the feeling that this boy is going to make a great leader for their pack when it’s his time.

“Uh, th-thanks.” Luke stutters back.

“Any time.” The older boy smiles warmly and Luke is struck by how nice he seems. “You’re Luke, right?”

“Yeah, how’d ya know?” Luke asks and he’s genuinely shocked because nobody knows his name unless they’re calling him Luke the Loser, or Luke the Loner, or Little Luke. (Seriously, there are a list of nicknames that Luke is just waiting to forget.)  
“I think your mum may be a friend of my mum. I’ve seen you around.” Luke just shrugs because he’s never known that his mum knew the alpha’s mate. “Hey what class do you have next?”

From that day onward Luke can’t shake Ashton off of his back (sometimes literally) not that he ever wants to. The two are inseparable. They hang out together after school all of the time and Luke never gets bullied again, because no one would dare to bully the future alpha’s _best friend_. People still don’t care about him, but they don’t hate him either.

After a few months, Luke stops referring to Ashton as ‘the alpha’s son’ in his head. He realises that Ashton is a lot more than a title. He’s kind and funny, a bit of an idiot sometimes, and yeah, he shows all the qualities of a future alpha: great leadership skills, charisma, loyalty, bravery, decision-making skills and the like, but he also shows the qualities of the perfect best friend: trust, equitableness, love, acceptance and just the ability to always be there for Luke, through everything. When Luke is with Ashton, he doesn’t feel like an inferior, undergrown, scrawny runt, but he just feels like Luke, and he can’t thank his friend enough for that.  
The two grow up together, and it’s a friendship that anybody would envy. There is no secret kept from each other, no joke goes untold between them. They are there for each other through every milestone.

Ashton protects Luke, standing up to anyone who thinks that they can pick on him for his size or his timidness. Luke finds it embarrassing sometimes, but then Ashton turns around once they’re alone and gives him a hug and Luke thinks that he doesn’t mind feeling small in Ashton’s arms, because he feels at home.

Sometimes Luke has to be there for Ashton too. Sometimes it will be 3 in the morning at a sleepover and Luke wakes up to the feeling of Ashton nudging at his shoulder, saying, “Luke, I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Do what?” Luke sleepily replies and Ashton whimpers slightly.  
“Be alpha, lead a pack. I’m not like dad, I’m not brave or scary like him. Everybody fears him. I’m not like that.”  
And suddenly Luke will be more awake than ever and he’ll roll over so that he’s pressed up to Ash and he’ll say, “Ashton, you don’t need to be feared to be a good leader. Ever since before I met you I’ve always thought that there was no one more suited to be alpha than you. And I just know that when the time comes you’re going to know exactly what you have to do and everyone is going to admire you for it. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

And Ashton smiles softly at Luke as his heartbeat returns to its normal pace and the older boy thinks to himself, ‘I’ve got the best friend in the world.’ And the two fall asleep just like that, pressed together, and they don’t feel any form at discomfort because everything just feels right.

  
Things start to change when the alpha disappears.

One day he is there, running the pack and then the next he is gone.

The entire pack is dismayed, but no one is more upset than Ashton.

When it happens he suddenly spills everything to Luke, things Luke never would have imagined, how Ashton’s father would scream at him sometimes and tell him that he was weak, how he would say that the pack would be doomed when Ashton takes over and that they’re already doomed as it is.  
Luke is disgusted and he decides that he hates their alpha no matter how much it’s wrong. He isn’t their alpha to him any longer; he’s a traitor, and the worst father in history.

Despite the fact that the alpha abandoned his own pack, the leaders still search for him for months on end, the best hunters put to work but it seems that he’s disappeared from the planet. Ashton’s mother takes over temporarily and Luke doesn’t see Ashton for a long time, months, as the elders take him in and start training him to be ready to take on his position as Alpha the moment he turns 18. Luke thinks it’s unfair.

Firstly, Ashton hasn’t even made his transformation yet. He’s only 15. How can anyone do this to him, abandon him and then expect him to step up to the plate without a second thought? Of course, Luke knows that Ashton has the determination to do it, the willpower and the strength, but that doesn’t mean that he should be forced to at such an early age. And secondly, Luke thinks it’s unfair that his best friend is stolen from him. Perhaps it’s selfish, but he’s had Ashton beside him for so long that he had forgotten what life had been like without him. He doesn’t really know what to do with himself for the few months, of which he doesn’t see a whisper of Ashton. At first he’s alright, knows that this needs to happen if Ashton is going to learn how to run a pack, but then he starts to get sad, and then it devastates him with each day that goes by that he doesn’t get to see his friend.

Luke sees Ashton’s mother, the temporary leader of the pack, and she assures him that Ashton wants to see him too, and misses him, but the elders won’t let him, not while there is so much to learn. So much that his father was supposed to start teaching him, as he got older. And suddenly, Luke absolutely despises Ashton’s father, wishes he could find the man so that he could tear him to shreds. Realistically, Luke stands no chance against the old alpha, but he would do it for Ashton. He’d do anything for Ashton.

It’s not until one night a few weeks after seeing Ashton’s mother that things start to perk up. Luke is feeling particularly down, sitting outside on the porch staring off into the night. He feels a pull in the air, making him think of the stories people tell of the first signs of your wolf showing itself. Luke thinks it’s unfair for him to only be getting this now, when other kids his age got them a year or two ago, but he can’t complain at the moment because the feeling is thrilling.

He is staring into the darkness when suddenly a movement in the bushes has him jumping to his feet. He sees the distinct wolf-like motions in the night, his vision only slightly enhanced as he’s still underdeveloped and he feels fear wash over him. He can’t deal with a wolf attacking him. He’s only 13!

The wolf slinks closer to a petrified Luke, who feels an overwhelming need to show submission, when the creature is revealed by the light peaking out of his windows in his home.

A magnificent golden wolf emerges. It’s small, compared to the older male wolves, but Luke can tell that it’s young, and then suddenly he gasps. He can feel the power exuding from the wolf despite it’s size, but the stunning golden fur coupled with the honey coloured eyes that are boring into Luke’s, suddenly sparks something in him.  
“Ash?” He croaks and the wolf is suddenly lunging at him, and Luke doesn’t even panic, doesn’t feel any fear because he knows he’s always safe with Ashton.  
Well, mostly safe. Ashton may be smaller than the older wolves right now, but he is by no means actually _small_ , big enough to bowl Luke over and tower over his human form. Ashton starts licking all over his skin and it makes Luke laugh, so happy to finally see his best friend.

“You turned!” Luke gasps out, sitting up, eyeing Ashton’s form. There is no doubting that one day he will be a very powerful wolf. “Was it tonight?”

The wolf nods its head slightly and Luke feels sympathetic, knowing that the first turning is extremely painful and Luke feels awful that he wasn’t there for Ashton. “Wait here.” Luke says, before running inside and grabbing some clothes that Ash should fit into. He’s going to need them. He tells his parents that he’s going out with Ash, and they’re only mildly surprised.

“Let’s go!” Luke yells and starts running, Ashton easily catching up with him and then trotting beside his running form. Luke knows that if Ashton was in his human form he would hear his laughter echoing in his ears, as Ash practically only needs to walk to keep up with Luke as he runs. “Shut up.” He mumbles and Ashton let’s out a bark that Luke wants to punch him for.

Eventually, when the two are far enough away from the pack to be left in peace, Luke sits down in the grass and Ashton nuzzles up to his side, making him laugh. They sit in silence for a while.

“Can you change back, do you think?” Luke asks, knowing that it’s going to hurt again, but he’ll be here this time. Ashton’s eyes take on a determined look and he stands up, moving away slightly before he starts to shift. Luke hears the bones cracking and he cringes but Ashton doesn’t make even one sound of pain. Luke doesn’t think he could do that.

Soon, a very naked Ashton is crouching on the ground beside Luke, and the younger silently hands his friend the clothes he brought. As soon as Ashton is clothed he jumps on Luke, wrapping his arms around him.

“I missed you so much.” He chokes out and Luke feels like crying which he totally can’t do because shit he may be weak but he’s not _that_ weak, except he totally is crying, more like sobbing, but Ashton is wiping a few tears away himself and it makes Luke feel a bit better.  
“I’m so sorry.” Luke manages. “I wasn’t there for you.”  
“There was no way you could have been, Luke. The elders wouldn’t let me leave until I transformed, until today. I came straight for you the moment they let me go.” Luke feels his heart warm over at the thought and he just hugs his friend again, grateful to have him back again.

 

 

Over the next couple of years, Luke watches Ashton grow in silent awe. His human form is impressive, sure, tall and broad and muscly, but his wolf is even more so. Each time that Luke goes for a walk with Ashton he feels smaller and smaller, until by the time that Luke is 15 Ashton is able to knock Luke over with just a gentle nudge (something he takes great pleasure in doing often).

Luke waits with bated breath on the entire day of his fifteenth birthday, hoping that he’ll turn and he’ll finally be able to say that he isn’t the runt of the group, but then he is watching all of the kids his age turn, and by the time Luke is almost 16 he’s given up. It’s not going to happen. Well, it is, but he’s obviously always going to be the runt and no one is going to find him intimidating because he’s going to be a whole year smaller than everybody else. Joy.

Luke’s inner angst is quelled slightly when it’s Ashton’s birthday. The whole town is excited, of course, because this is not only the day that Ashton becomes alpha, it’s the day that he may find his mate. Luke is sort of apprehensive about that. Like yeah, he should probably be happy for Ashton, but he doesn’t want some girl stealing his best friend from him.

The thoughts are brushed from Luke’s mind as he watches people busily mill around his best friend, preparing him for his ceremony.

Ashton is stoic the whole time, and while everyone else respects him for this, thinking that he must be calm and ready, Luke sees right through it.

He waits for the one moment that they’re alone, knowing that it may be the only time in the whole day. He doesn’t say a word, just wraps his arms around his friend and Ashton collapses into his hold.  
“I’m so proud of you.” Luke whispers and he can feel Ashton trembling in his arms. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen his friend so weak as he is in this moment.

“Why?” Ashton asks, suddenly shoving Luke away, probably more forcefully than he intended as the younger boy almost falls over. “Why would you be? I’m nothing to be proud of. My own father abandoned me because I’m too weak to be alpha.”

Logically speaking, Luke should never really stand up to Ashton. They may be friends, but Ashton holds all of the power over the younger boy. He could tear him to shreds if he wanted, and at the snap of a finger he could have Luke banished, miles away within moments. Despite this, Luke doesn’t hesitate to say his next words.

“Ashton, please, shut the fuck up. What you’re saying is ridiculous and you know it. I’ve been telling you since day one, you are fit to be an alpha more than any other person I’ve ever seen, more than your father ever was. And your father didn’t leave because of you; he left because he was a coward. And I swear, I swear it right now, I am going to find that man and make him pay for abandoning the pack, abandoning his mate, his family, and for abandoning you.”  
“You’d never stand a chance.” Ashton says bitterly, not facing Luke anymore. Luke flinches slightly. Like yeah, he’s right, of course, but Ashton has always been the one to tell Luke that he believes in him, that he believes that Luke will be just as powerful as every other wolf one day. “You’re too weak. You always have been.”

Despite himself, Luke gasps and steps back a bit.

“Is that what you really think?” He chokes out, the pain leaking through his voice and Ashton suddenly turns around with panic in his eyes.

“No! No, of course not, Luke. Shit, I wasn’t saying that to you. Well, I mean, I was, but I wasn’t picturing you in my head, I was picturing me. I was talking to myself. I swear, I don’t think you’re weak, not in the slightest bit. You’ve always been strong, Luke, you just don’t realise it. And one day you’re going to see it. Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

“I-it’s okay.” Luke says shakily, mainly at the passion in Ashton’s voice. And Ashton is holding Luke by the shoulders; staring right into Luke’s eyes and Luke feels frozen to the spot. He has the briefest thought, of what it might be like if Ashton leant down and-

Someone bursts into the room, suddenly, making the two spring apart as though they’ve been caught doing something that they shouldn’t. It’s one of the elders, telling Ashton that “it’s time,” before disappearing again. After a moment of silence Ashton speaks up.

“I’m sorry for all of this. You were just trying to comfort me and I freaked out on you.”  
“It’s alright, Ash.” Luke says softly and the older boy smiles.

“You’ve always been there for me, Luke, more than anybody else, and I can’t thank you enough.”  
“You don’t have to thank me. You’ve been there for me too.” Luke says. “Hey, um, Ash. If you find your mate tonight… and when you become alpha… can you promise me something?”

“I don’t think I’m going to find her tonight.” Ashton says softly and Luke flinches a little at the word ‘her’ but ignores it.  
“Why not?”  
“I haven’t had any feelings all day. No fluttering, no nervousness, no excitement. Nothing.” Luke nods understandingly. They’d been taught since they were little that there is usually a build up to the moment, a noticeable amount of nervousness and excitement in your wolf as it becomes restless and in need of it’s mate.

“Well then, you’ll just have to wait for her.” Luke smiles, but it feels forced.

“Okay, so what did you want?”  
“Oh, I was just wondering if you can… um…”  
“Luke, spit it out.” Ashton says and Luke sighs.  
“Canyoujustpromisethatyouwontleavemenowthatyourealpha?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What?” Ashton laughs at Luke’s rushed question and waits for him to repeat. Luke feels his face flushing in embarrassment.  
“Can you please, just, promise me that now that you’re alpha you won’t leave me? I know it’s stupid, I know, it’s just, those few months that we spent apart back when the elders practically kidnapped you, they were torture and I realised that I can’t lose my best friend. I know that you’ll be really busy now, and I understand that, it’s reality, but please, don’t… just don’t leave me, you know?”  
“Luke, you idiot, I’m not going anywhere.” Ashton says, fondly as he pulls the younger boy in for a hug. “Yes, I’m going to be busy, probably, but I promise you, with all of my heart, I will always be here for you. I won’t leave you. I’ll be here when you turn, and I’ll be here when you find your mate, and I’ll be beside you through everything, battle, blood, marriage, children, and death. I won’t leave.”

 

And so, Luke watches on with silent pride as his best friend becomes the alpha of his pack and he’s so happy for him. Immediately his friend is whisked away and Luke can’t help but feel like this is the start of their drifting. He knows that Ashton just promised him he wouldn’t leave, and he trusts Ashton with his life, but he’s alpha. He’s going to have meetings all of the time, and responsibilities, and soon he’s going to find his mate, and Luke doesn’t know if he’ll be a part of the new alpha’s life anymore.

It’s all right at first.  
Yes, it is different. Ashton is whisked away to more meetings than Luke knew existed. He doesn’t have to make every decision on his own, thankfully, his mother acting as his right hand, but as the days go by Ashton does gain more and more responsibility and it shows.

“Hey Ash.” Luke says as he stumbles across him in the street. It’s been a weeks since they last hung out and Luke is hoping that they can go on one of their walks again. It’s become their tradition.

“Luke.” Ashton says, sounding distracted, like he’s bumped into someone while grocery shopping that he didn’t really want to see.  
“Do you want to go for a run? I bet you won’t be able to keep up with me this time. I’ve been working on my stamina.” Luke grins because he knows that that is bullshit but Ashton only shakes his head.  
“I have a meeting right now. Sorry, Luke.” He sounds stressed and Luke feels sympathy for him.

“Hey that’s alright. What about tonight?”

“Can’t. I’ve got to go and skirt the borders. Another pack has welcomed a new alpha and we need to re-establish our territory in case, you know?”  
“That’s all right. Are you busy tomorrow?” Luke asks, feeling a bit disheartened now, especially when Ashton just shakes his head again.

“Investigation. Somebody has crossed our border, someone from another pack. No one could pick up a scent trail or anything. Whoever it is had great talent at covering their own tracks.”

Luke feels his head bow a little.  
“Another time then?” He tries to say it nonchalantly but he doesn’t really think it works. Ashton nods, giving Luke a fond smile and ruffling his hair in a way that makes Luke feel like a pup, before walking off.

After a few months everything has changed, really. They don’t hang out as often. Luke can’t remember the last time that they went for a walk together. He misses having to run just so that he can keep up with Ashton’s wolf as he walks along their well-known path. By December, they haven’t spent the night at each other’s houses in what feels like years. Luke misses having to protect his friend from his 3am thoughts, misses being his shoulder to cry on.

By 8 months later Luke hasn’t had a conversation with Ashton for over a month. And honestly, by now people think that Luke’s over it, that he’s accepted that Ashton is too busy for him, but in reality, he feels like his heart is broken. Which is stupid, no one gets their heart broken over losing a friend, but it’s exactly what has happened and Luke doesn’t care. He’s upset and angry and hurt. 

Everything peaks on one particular night. It feels pretty normal to Luke. He is pouring his feelings out into his music, writing song after song about no one in particular (they’re definitely not about a certain ex-best friend, nope, nada) when he feels it. He feels a sudden snap, an odd feeling that can only be likened to a plug being pushed into an electrical socket. Luke feels the connection and he knows, shit, he knows it’s happening.

He runs out of the house. For some reason, he doesn’t want his parents to know. There’s only one person that should be there, and Luke hasn’t seen them in what feels like a lifetime. And he’s angry and he wants to be alone. He wants to prove that he’s not weak, that he can change without his parents holding his hand, _without Ashton holding his hand_. He’s not weak, god damn it.

The first crack isn’t too painful, and Luke thinks that maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

Then a much louder crack sounds and he feels like his leg is snapped in two and he feels tears sting his eyes. Then suddenly his whole body is on fire and he has to choke back a scream as he feels like his everything is broken. It lasts almost half an hour, his head pounding, his throat raw and his insides rattled as he completes his first shift. But he does it. And once it’s over he feels absolutely alive.

He doesn’t feel small anymore. He feels powerful. He feels like throwing his head back in a howl, and so he does, finally, _finally_ connected to his wolf and feeling as complete as he can without his mate. He feels the excitement course through him as he takes off on a run. He doesn’t know where he’s going, doesn’t care, as he finally understand what his parents were saying when they described the taste of freedom.

After a while, Luke stops to catch his reflection in a lake in the middle of the forest. He is stunned. He was expecting what everyone else in his life had always expected of him. A runt. A scrawny defect who lives life a year behind everyone else. But no, his wolf is almost fully-grown. Still nothing compared to an adult wolf, or an alpha, but as big as any other wolf his age. And he looks powerful. His fur is pure white and his eyes are undeniably similar to his human ones, bright blue and piercing.

As Luke adjusts to the feeling of suddenly having increased abilities in _everything_ really, he feels something else build inside him. As he listens to noises that he never would have been able to hear a few hours ago, and sees clearly in the dark things that would otherwise have been unknown to him, he notices an agitated feeling that suddenly has him on his paws and heading back towards the town, the pack.

It’s frustration. It’s frustration, and rage, and pain.  
He knows exactly where he’s going as he breaks out into a run. He picks up a scent, the wind working in his favour, and doesn’t even have time to marvel at his new abilities, instead breaking out into a lightning fast sprint towards his target.  
Within five minutes he’s where he needs to be and stops running, falling into a stalk.

Ashton is outside his house, in the backyard. It’s dark outside, but Luke had just known that the boy would be awake; he had known it by his instincts. He spots his alpha sitting in the grass staring up at the stars and Luke briefly takes him in. He’s grown since Luke had last seen him, looking much more like a man than an almost 19 year old. He wonders if Ash sits like that every night, trying to escape his responsibilities. Does he think about Luke like Luke thinks about him?

Luke wants to keep studying him but he takes one step forward, and even though it’s completely silent to his own ears, Ashton’s head snaps up and in his human mind Luke remembers that Ashton has years of experience on him, not to mention that he’s an alpha. Luke should have known that this wouldn’t be easy.  
Thankfully, Luke is already in his wolf form or else he’d be screwed. He let’s out a low growl and pounces, landing in front of his old friend. He feels the rage build up inside of him as the boy scrambles to stand up, but Luke jumps on top of him, pinning him down. He snarls in Ashton’s face, snapping his teeth as close as he can to the boy’s neck.  
In other circumstances, Ashton would have transformed by now and would be poised to kill the intruder. The only thing that stops him is the scent. He knows his own pack, and he knows this particular scent better than any other. He refuses to submit though, it’s just wrong, not in his nature.  
“Luke.” He says warningly, as the near deranged boy growls in response. “Get off of me. Now.”

The wolf above him growls again. It’s lunacy, for any wolf to defy their alpha like this, especially one of Luke’s meek nature, but because it’s Ashton, and this is Luke, Luke could not give a single fuck that Ashton is his alpha.

“Luke.” Ashton growls and the sound has Luke’s wolf immediately wanting to obey, despite Luke’s own stubbornness. Luke regretfully pulls off but immediately takes on a threatening pose.

Ashton stands up slowly. Everything inside of him is telling him to put Luke in his place, but he can’t do that so he just slowly backs away with his hands up in the air in a form of submission. It almost hurts him to do, but Ashton would do anything for Luke.

“Wait there. Do _not_ move.” Ashton doesn’t want to use his power against Luke, so he only allows the smallest inkling of authority in his tone.

Luke does what he’s told but he paces Ashton’s yard anxiously, still angry and restless. Ashton comes out with a bundle of clothing and Luke isn’t ready to change back, doesn’t want to face Ashton when he’s weak again, so he turns around and bolts. He hears Ashton curse behind him before a few seconds later he hears someone in hot pursuit of him.

Ashton is surprised to find that Luke is faster than him. It’s uncommon for any wolves to be more powerful than their alpha in any way, and deep inside Ashton feels extremely proud of his friend.

He clutches the material of the clothing in his jaws a little harder as he sprints at full speed behind the stunning white wolf in front of him. Ashton can’t deny that he is impressed. Luke’s wolf is powerful, and beautiful. His eyes are the most striking that Ashton has ever seen on a wolf, and he’s seen a lot of wolves in the past year.

Eventually, Luke stops running, stopping in a clearing somewhere in their territory that is so far away from home that Luke knows he has definitely never been here before. He snaps around, immediately assuming a defensive position as Ashton barrels in a few seconds later.  
Luke feels a small sense of triumph at the fact that Ashton had barely kept up with him. Ashton drops the cloths on the side of the clearing and immediately counters Luke’s position, growling in warning. He’s a bit tired of this now. He and Luke need to talk, and he needs Luke to change back. He is shocked when Luke equals his growl, barking warningly back at him.  
Luke is challenging him. He wants a fight. There is no way that Ashton would - _could_ ever hurt his Luke, but deep inside he knows that the only way to end this is teach Luke a lesson.

He quickly pounces forward, surprised when Luke dodges his attack, but then being faced with the Luke he once knew when the white wolf stumbles a little, falters. Ashton sees his opportunity and leaps, knocking Luke to the ground. The younger wolf scrambles trying to get up, but Ashton is done with his shit now. He gives the wolf’s back leg a bite that acts as a warning, regretting it instantly when Luke yelps and Ashton remembers that he is going to be hurting when he changes back. Ashton feels awful, but this isn’t finished yet.  
Luke is still thrashing in protest so Ashton lunges in. Instead of wrapping his jaws lightly around Luke’s throat like he would in any other practice spar, he bites into the scruff of the boy’s neck, climbing on top of him. It’s a move that is only ever used by mother’s on their pups, or by mates… but Ashton just does it because he feels that it’s the right thing to do.  
Luke, both his wolf and himself, immediately lose all will to fight. Ashton is dominating him completely and he’s stuck in his hold, trapped underneath his huge body. Luke stays completely still. Everything smells like Ashton. Everything. The older boy gently growls into his neck and it makes Luke whine automatically and after a moment Ashton slowly releases him and moves away. Luke doesn’t move, keeping his head down in submission.  
He feels like all of the fight, all of the anger has left his body now, and instead he’s just hurt. Fuck.

He hears Ashton change back and then walk over to pull on the track pants he’d bought.

“Luke, change back.” Ashton says softly and when Luke doesn’t comply Ashton snaps. “I said, change back.” He injects every ounce of authority into his tone, making it impossible for Luke to resist. The boy instantly starts to change back, much to his own chagrin. It fucking hurts, and Luke resists the urge to howl in pain, his leg aching in a way that makes tears form in his eyes.   
Ashton feels the need to block his ears at the pained whines coming from his friend, wishing that there was something he could do to ease the pain a little bit.

It takes around a few minutes for him, but eventually Luke’s back in his human form, crouched and panting on the ground, biting back tears.

“Here.” Ashton says softly, handing Luke the other pair of track pants. The boy grabs them from Ashton’s hands in a way that is anything but thankful, and Ashton flinches and stands back, giving the younger boy a moment of space.

Okay, a moment has been and gone.

“Luke.” Ashton says, softly again, not wanting to aggravate his friend any further.

The boy is facing away from Ashton, not moving and Ashton can just tell that he’s in pain, both physically and emotionally. “Luke, please ju-”

“You were supposed to be there!” Luke screams, whirling around to face Ashton and Ashton winces when he sees the tears rolling down his friend’s face.  
“Luke, please don’t cry, I-”

“You were supposed to be here. You promised me, you promised me that you’d be here, that you wouldn’t let this alpha shit get in the way of our friendship. I thought you were going to be there for me, you promised you’d be there for me when I changed, forever even, and you… you abandoned me.”

Luke collapses to the floor. He sobs openly, not bothering to hide it now. Ashton feels so guilty and heartbroken and he falls to the floor beside his friend.

“Luke, I am so, _so_ sorry. I broke my promise to you, I know. And I think I’d rather be banished from the pack than live with this feeling right now, seeing you like this. I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Everything happened so fast. There were so many people that expected so many things of me, and there are things going on outside of this pack that I had to focus on and… I lost myself during it all. I needed you by my side in all of it, but instead I pushed you away. I’m so, so sorry.” The older boy tries to convey they pain he feels at the thought of breaking his promise, the guilt.  
“I needed you too.” Luke points out, wiping at his eyes.  
“I know. And I’m the worst friend in the history of terrible friends, but trust me, you are still my best friend and I don’t think I’ve ever needed you more in my life than I need you now. I know that it’s a lot to ask, but do you think we could try again. I promise I’ll try.”  
“How can I trust any promises you make?” Luke bites out and Ashton winces. Fair point.  
“I’ll prove it to you. Let me prove it to you, please Lukey?”

Luke feels himself melt at the nickname, feels his shoulders relax a little bit and he just wants his best friend back so he gives in.

“Fine. Please don’t make me regret it this time.” He says and Ashton bites his tongue, because wow that hurts, but he wraps his arms around Luke and feels better. This is right. This is how it should be.

“So you finally turned, huh?” Ashton says, trying to bring a little bit of life back into their friendship.

“Obviously.” Luke mutters.  
“You’re big, Lukey.” He’s not letting the nickname die. He sees the way it makes his friend’s eyes soften. “Bigger than a lot of the guys your age. And fast. Faster than me.”

“I told you I’d worked on my stamina.” Luke mumbles and his older friend laughs.

“It’s impressive. No one is ever going to doubt you again, when they see your wolf. But you need to work on your attack skills. I had you in two seconds.”

Luke frowns at Ashton’s smirk and shoves him slightly.  
“Hey that was my first fight, and it was against an alpha. Cut me some slack.” He groans and Ashton laughs again at his whiney tone.

“Come on, we better start walking back.” Ash says and stands up. Neither of the two mention the fact that Ashton had treated Luke like an alpha treats an omega in a relationship, or that Luke had been totally submissive to him like a mate would be, but it does feature in both of the boy’s minds slightly, especially Luke’s. It’s not something he’s going to think too deeply into though. It was spur of the moment.

Luke grabs Ashton’s outstretched hand and pulls him up, only to have Luke yelp and fall into his arms.  
“Shit.” Luke says, holding onto his friend to support himself. “You totally fucked my leg.”  
“I’m so sorry.” Ashton says, his wolf whining at the thought of hurting Luke. His wolf has always loved his best friend, more than any other wolf, even his little sister and brother. “I’ll carry you until you heal.” And before Luke can protest he is blushing as Ashton hoists him up onto his back, as though he weighs nothing.

“You’re going to carry me the whole way back aren’t you?” Luke says drily and Ash just chuckles because Luke knows him too well.

 

Ashton does prove that he’s not going to abandon Luke again. It’s clear that he’s making a conscious effort to be with the younger boy more often and though Luke obviously greatly appreciates this, he can’t help but feel like something is different.

He doesn’t notice at first, too caught up in the joy of finally having his best friend back like he’d never left, too caught up in the feeling of exhilaration when they would go on runs together, Luke always beating his alpha and then they’d spar and Luke would never get away without a bruise or two.

Eventually though, Luke can’t deny it anymore. As his seventeenth birthday comes and goes, Luke feels like there is an underlying tension between him and his best friend.

It’s not enough to debilitate their friendship. Ashton wouldn’t let it, too determined to redeem his promise to Luke. It does make things awkward, though, in the subtlest of ways.

It shows itself in moments that seem to hold no significance. It shows in the dying sound of laughter that trickles away after a bad joke and leaves eyes lingering on one another for a second longer than they should. And Luke just erases the moment from his mind like it never happened but he can’t erase the uneasy feeling it gives him in the pit of his stomach. It happens in the moments of silence when they’re too tired to race each other any longer and they curl up next to each other in the middle of nowhere, gold and silver fur intermingling under the moonlight, and Luke gets the word ‘home’ flashing in front of his eyes and he doesn’t know why so he jumps up and shifts because he doesn’t know what else to do.

It’s not really the biggest thing that Luke has on his mind at the moment, but it’s always there in the background. Something is weird between him and Ashton and he has no idea how to talk about it so instead he pretends it’s not happening.

As he starts to get older, closer to 18 years old, two things plague the forefront of his mind.

The first one is inevitable, and of course Luke is excited that soon he might get to meet his mate, but he’s also petrified. What if he doesn’t have one? It’s not unheard of. Or what if they hate him? Okay, so maybe that _is_ unheard of but Luke’s always been a worrier.

Ever since he was little he’s looked forward to finding his mate, knowing what it’s like to feel complete, but now as the date fast approaches he suddenly isn’t as excited as he used to be. He’s a bit apprehensive really.

The other thing that’s been bugging Luke is something that really shouldn’t be but it is. It’s Ashton (what a surprise). It’s on a day when they are running together, and they stop to change and lie around in the sun in their human forms so that they can talk.

It’s silent and Luke is feeling that strange tension between them again and he is just working up the nerve to maybe bring it up but then Ashton speaks.

“I’ve got a girlfriend.” He says, completely out of the blue and Luke sits up, stunned and staring at his best friend who is watching him carefully.

“You what?”

“I’ve got a girlfriend.” Ashton repeats calmly.

“Since when?” Luke splutters in disbelief.

“About two weeks ago.” Luke frowns, a feeling that he doesn’t like very much flashing white hot in his stomach.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He’s annoyed and probably sounds like he’s jealous (which he is) but he’s not.

“I just didn’t get around to it.” Ashton frowns slightly at Luke’s pissed off tone. “Thought you might be happy for me.” He mutters.

Luke quickly backtracks.  
“No, I am. Sorry. Um, is she your…”

“My mate?” Ashton finishes, putting his arms behind his head.

“Yeah.”  
“No.” Ashton says, a slightly bitter tone in his voice.

“Could she be?” Luke asks. “How old is she?”

“She’s 19.”

“Oh.” Luke says, noting the way Ashton’s jaw clenches. Then Luke gets annoyed again.

“So what’s the point in dating her then?” Ashton squints his eyes at Luke but turns away.  
“Because I want to.” He says with finality in his tone but Luke’s not going to pay any attention to that.  
“That’s just stupid.” He’s not jealous. Just annoyed.

“How is that stupid?” Ashton pushes himself up so he’s sitting back on his elbows.

“Because, what’s the point? She’s just going to turn around and break your heart when she finds her mate one day.” Luke says, and yeah, so maybe he’s a little jealous. But he doesn’t want his best friend to be stolen from him, again, that’s all.

“I know exactly what I’m getting myself into.” Ashton snaps. “I’m not an idiot.”

“Clearly you are if you’re throwing yourself into some meaningless relationship like that. You’re both practically cheating. What, are you going to sleep with her? That’s, like, going against everything that’s natural. Dude, what’s wrong with you? What’s your mate going to think when she finds out you’ve been with some other girl?” Luke finishes his little rant and pants to recollect his breath. Ashton is staring at him angrily before he sort of just collapses and closes his eyes.

“I’m starting to think that I don’t actually have a mate.” He says and he sounds kind of pained. Luke immediately feels like a complete dick and whimpers slightly at the sight of his best friend looking so wounded.

“That’s just stupid. Of course you have a mate.” Luke says, sidling up to his friend and tentatively pressing a hand to his arm. That weird feeling is still hanging in the air but Luke does his best to ignore it.

“Luke, literally everybody else who was in my class has found their mate by now. Like, I know that I’m still really young and everything and I’m probably just being stupid but I’m the alpha. Everyone who ever sees me always asks if I’ve found my mate yet. Every time we meet with other packs they all look at me and see that my mate’s not there and it makes me look weaker. I just want to get the whole thing over with so that I can finally feel complete, you know?” Ashton sighs and even though he is being irrational, Luke doesn’t say so, instead pulling his best friend up into a sitting position and placing a reassuring arm around him. It’s times like these that Luke is grateful that his growth spurt has put him at an equal height to Ashton.

“Ashton, you are going to find your mate. It won’t be long before suddenly you’ll forget everything that you’ve ever worried about because you’ll just feel complete. And your mate won’t ever doubt you, they will be right by your side through everything and when you do find them, I’ll remember to remind you of this conversation so that you’ll realise how stupid you sound, okay?”  
“Okay.” Ashton chuckles and wraps an arm around Luke in return. After a moment he pulls away. “But I still like Kara. She knows that we’re not together for anything permanent. She understands. And she’s beautiful and lovely. You’d like her.”

Luke swallows the anger he feels at those words and manages a weak smile.

“If you say so, but please Ashton, be careful. You could hurt her feelings, or she could hurt you.”  
“I’ll be careful, Mr Hemmings. Thanks for the lecture.” Ashton pokes his side and Luke can’t supress his giggle. “But look who’s acting all wise about mates. You might meet yours in a couple of months. Excited?”

“No. Not really. I’m nervous. I don’t know if I’m ready to meet whoever it is.” Luke admits and Ashton nods.  
“I’m nervous too. Hey, you can’t leave me either, okay? When you meet your mate, that is. I know I’m busy trying to convince everyone that I can run this pack, and soon you’re going to grow up and be busy too, but I don’t ever want to lose you, okay?”  
“Of course you won’t. I’ll always be here for you, Ashton.” Luke says, and he doesn’t need to promise it because he knows in his heart that he couldn’t ever be apart from the older boy. It just wouldn’t feel right.

 

When Luke meets Kara he instantly hates her. She’s gorgeous, tall and dark haired and elegant, she’s smart; she’s kind and charismatic. She basically makes the perfect match for an alpha. And Luke hates her for it. He hates the way she looks at Ashton like he’s perfect (which he pretty much is but, yeah), he hates the way Ashton pulls her in for a hug when they part ways and when he leans down to press a soft kiss against her lips Luke feels like lighting lots of things on fire.

“God, she’s not that bad.” Ashton growls slightly, taking in Luke’s sour face.  
“She’s fine.” Luke bites out. He couldn’t sound less sincere. “I still don’t like this.”

“Whatever, let’s just go for our run.” Ashton sighs, knowing that there is no point in arguing. And if Luke tries extra hard to one up Ashton in their practice fight, no one needs to know. (He loses anyway.)

 

As the day of Luke’s eighteenth birthday swiftly approaches Luke gets more and more nervous. The months disappear into weeks and then suddenly days, and his wolf is restless. He feels somewhat like he’s trapped in a cage and is desperately trying to get out of it. He just wants the god damn day to come and go so that he can get it over with and forget this feeling.  
“Oh my god, can we _please_ do something?” Luke groans, changing positions on the bed for the fifteenth time in five minutes, much to Ashton’s amusement.

“Geez, someone’s a bit agitated.”  
“I’m tired of this. I just feel like running all of the time, and I can’t sit still.”  
“You know what this means, right?” Ashton smiles and Luke just shrugs.  
“It means that you’re going to meet your mate soon. Your wolf knows it. That’s why it’s so restless.” He grins big and wide and despite his anxiety, Luke grins as well.  
“I’m nervous as hell. But I’m excited.”  
“I feel it too.” Ashton admits and Luke gives him a questioning gaze. “My wolf is excited too. I can feel it. I’m really excited for you.”

“I’ve never heard of that before.” Luke says slowly and Ashton just raises an eyebrow.  
“Come on, Luke. We’re probably the greatest best friends in the entire world. As if our wolves wouldn’t be excited for each other.”  
Luke nods because he can see his friend’s point.

His excitement fades a little when Ashton approaches him with an annoyed face a few days before his 18th.  
“What’s wrong?” Luke asks.

“There is a meeting of the packs coming up.” The alpha mutters and Luke raises an eyebrow.  
“So…?”  
“It’s on your birthday.”  
“Oh.” Luke says, frowning slightly. “It’s okay, Ashton.”  
“No it is not okay.” The older boy groans in frustration. “I promised that I’d be here when you find your mate, I wanted to be there so badly, and now suddenly I can’t be. It’s bullshit.”  
“Ash, it’s okay. I understand. This meeting is more important than my mate.” Luke shrugs a shoulder like it's not going to be the most important day of his life and Ashton gapes.  
“No it’s not. Dude, it’s your _mate._ ”  
“My mate will still be here when you get back.” Luke says. “Ashton.” He puts both hands on the older boy’s shoulders. He’s now taller than him by a few centimetres and he secretly loves it, loves having something against the boy who is superior to him in almost every other way. “Trust me, it’s fine. I don’t mind. Yes, I wish you could be there, but I won’t be alone. I’ll have my mate.” Ashton frowns at the words.

“What, is your mate going to replace me?” Luke blinks at the vicious tone and slowly removes his hands from Ashton’s shoulders.

“Ashton, I already told you, nothing is going to change between us. We’re always going to be best friends, mate or not.” The older boy sighs.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ve just got this weird feeling, you know?”  
“I do too.” Luke is surprised that Ashton is feeling the same thing that he is. The tension, the feeling of something big coming.

“It’ll all be okay.” He says softly.

 

It’s pack tradition for a party to be thrown for each person’s 18th birthday, and Luke is no exception. It’s usually a time when people who are also looking for their mate can show up and see if they’re the ones who are, well, ‘the one’ that night. Luke had been expecting three people to show up, so when he walks into the centre square in the middle of town and sees throngs of people all intermingling he nearly faints.

“Happy 18th!” He hears it repeated so many times that the words sound like gibberish to him now. He is excited that so many people have come, surprised and happy, but he can’t help but feel a little lost without Ashton there.

He sucks it up, though, and finds his mum. (Yeah, he’s that lame.)

He has to wait all the way until 10:32pm until he can find out who is his mate, because your mate is not revealed until you are both exactly 18 years old, by the exact second. Luke feels sorry for people who don’t find their mate on their birthdays because they’re from different packs, and he’s glad that he’s not one of them. How he knows this? His wolf is trembling with energy inside of him. All of his veins feel electric, and his heartbeat is permanently beating as though he’s mid sprint.

For the first couple of hours Luke doesn’t really talk to anybody unless they come up to him, and a few do. Even Kara does, and he fakes a smile and then immediately grimaces once her back is turned. He really does not like her.

Then it’s 9pm and Luke is standing off to the side of the party, his hands shaking slightly. Not from nervousness, but from the impatience. His wolf is urging him to change and sniff out his mate but he knows that it doesn’t work like that so he concentrates on trying to control himself.

He talks to Calum. Calum is a guy that he went to school with. Back then the two never crossed paths, Luke being too afraid to socialise with anyone other than Ashton, but when Luke attended Calum’s own 18th a few months ago, and the birthday boy wandered up to him and actually _willingly_ conversed with him, Luke discovered that he was a great guy. He’s really the only one that Luke feels comfortable around, besides Ashton.

“You nervous?” Calum asks as he sips his drink. The guy is the definition of casual.  
“Yes. Very.” Luke replies, wringing his hands together. There is only one and a half hours to go until Luke meets his mate.

“Relax, dude, you’ll be fine. You’re going to meet your mate. It’ll be the best moment of your life.”

“I’m relaxed, I’m totally relaxed.” Calum just raises an eyebrow. “Shut up. Have you met yours yet…?”

“No.” Calum says and he sounds bitter. Luke immediately cringes, cursing himself for even bringing it up.

“Sorry, man. You’ll find them soon.”

“I was so sure that they were there, you know?” Calum is staring at the bottom of his bottle. “I felt their presence, on the day, but then they were just… gone.”

Luke doesn’t know what to say so he doesn’t say anything and soon Calum pastes a smile to his face. “But, enough about me, this is about you.”  
“Yeah…” Luke still feels awkward but then the same jittery excitement overtakes him and he gets lost in his thoughts, trying to make the seconds tick by. He doesn’t even notice Calum mumbling that he’s going to go for a walk until he looks up and he’s alone.

A hand on his shoulder makes him jump.

“You need to work on being more attentive. Don’t want people sneaking up on you if they aren’t as friendly as me.” Luke turns to see Ashton and can’t help the huge grin covering his face, immediately jumping into his friend’s arms.  
“Ashton!” He coos and the older boy just laughs happily. “What about the meeting?”

“I left early.” Ashton mumbles and Luke frowns at him. “The elders weren’t too happy, but I couldn’t sit still. I kept thinking about you and I knew that there was no way I could ever miss this. My little Lukey is about to become a man.”

Luke, despite his disapproval, smiles in happiness.

“How long?” Ashton asks softly, noting the way that Luke is extremely fidgety and restless. He feels quite the same way himself.

“Just under 20 minutes.” Luke says quickly, bouncing up and down a little and Ashton smiles fondly at him.

“Well, I better go make my presence known. I’ll be back in time, don’t worry. Just take deep breaths, yeah?” Luke rolls his eyes but nods and watches Ashton walk off. He keeps his eyes on him, scowling when he sees him talking to Kara, until he is out of sight. Then Luke’s eyes return to the giant clock in the town centre, the hands nearing half past.

He rocks back and forth on his heels because suddenly there’s only five minutes to go, and he has to restrain himself from howling in excitement.  
He wonders what his mate will look like. He is kind of unsure of whether he wants it to be a boy or a girl. He hasn’t ever really been attracted to girls before.

Four minutes.

He doesn’t mind if it’s a girl, he supposes, his wolf won’t care either way. But he’s never pictured his mate as a female.

Three minutes.

Actually every time he’s pictured his mate, he always visualises the same person. It’s always a guy his age, someone who treats him as an equal and just makes him laugh and smile with ease. A guy with warm eyes and a huge smile, like sunshine.

Two minutes.  
In hindsight, he guesses he really should have seen it coming. Before the clock even strikes his wolf is pulling him towards the crowd, towards someone and he blindly follows.

One minute.  
Maybe if he hadn’t been so naïve he would’ve seen the signs. He would’ve been able to predict this.

The clock hits 10:32 and Luke knows it’s only a matter of seconds now but he’s kind of already figured it out. His wolf is still pushing him forward and Luke is just waiting to see if his suspicions will be confirmed.

The unbreakable bond, the jealousy, the pulls, the tension, the mutual excitement and restlessness, the closeness, it suddenly all makes sense.

Luke makes his way through a particular cluster of the crowd and he knows a lot of eyes are on him, wondering who that scrawny boy who is always hanging around the alpha is, but Luke is looking straight at him right now.

Fuck…

Luke feels something inside of him click into place, and although he feels like finally everything has come full circle, he also feels a burden being placed on his shoulders that he’d never anticipated coming. This is not going to end very well, he just knows it.  
He’s at a standstill just watching Ashton’s back from afar; he savours the few seconds of realisation that he gets to experience on his own.  
Ashton is his mate. He should have known, he should have seen it coming, but he’s an idiot and he didn’t and now his wolf is desperate to get to his mate, he feels the greatest urge to run forward and jump into Ashton’s arms but he doesn’t think that would be the best thing to do so instead his muscles lock up and his mouth falls open and he just stares.

He let’s out the most miniscule whine, so quiet that the people around him don’t even look at him, but he sees Ashton’s back tense from all the way across the centre.

The older boy turns around so slowly that it feels like years pass before he’s finally facing Luke. He looks up, hazel eyes connecting with bright blue ones and Luke sees them darken, sees the way that Ashton instinctually moves toward him but then stops himself, a look of fear entering his eyes.

“No.” Ashton says breathlessly, more to himself than anyone else but Luke still hears it, his wolf keenly searching out Ashton’s every move.

Luke is terrified and sort of aching inside. This is very, _very_ bad.

Luke can list all of the reasons that this is a disaster.

One, his best friend in the entire world is his mate and Luke doesn’t know if the two of them will ever be able to work. Two, said mate is the alpha of the pack, pushing Luke suddenly into power when all his life he’s been regarded as weak and pathetic. Three, it may be normal for same sex mates to exist, but Luke has never heard of the alpha being unable to produce an heir. People aren’t going to like this. Four, his mate doesn’t even want him and the rejection stings harshly, but he doesn’t blame Ashton because Luke didn’t want this either. Or at least, he wasn’t aware that this was even a thing that he could want until now.

Suddenly the bubble that Luke had been in pops and he’s aware of everything around him, the noise of the party, the stares of the people who are nearby watching the exchange between him and the alpha, and then Luke turns and bolts.

Ashton doesn’t follow him.

 

Two days pass. Luke talks to his mum about it. She says that she isn’t surprised and again Luke wants to hit himself for being so naïve. She tells him that it’ll work out, that Ashton will come around and they’ll both be fine, but Luke doesn’t really believe her.

Luke’s wolf is in agony, constantly crying because he wants his mate, wants to bond with Ashton and not feel this constant weight of rejection.

It’s late evening when Luke’s door is being knocked on and Luke knows immediately that it’s not his mother. His senses are all tuned to Ashton’s station now, constantly trying to figure out where his mate is, what he’s doing, if he’s safe.

It suddenly strikes Luke how beautiful Ashton’s scent is. He’s always known it and it hasn’t changed now that they’re mates, but Luke has a newfound appreciation for it. He hesitates for a moment just breathing in the scent deeply.

“Luke.” Ashton’s voice sounds choked from the other side of the door. “I know you’re in there. I can feel your heart beat.” He whispers it like he’s not supposed to say it and he sounds almost afraid.

Luke doesn’t want to get up and open the door because he’s slightly afraid that he’ll be unable to control himself so instead he pushes himself back against the wall as far as possible.

“Co-come in.” He clears his throat, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears. Luke watches the doorknob twist at an agonisingly slow pace and then he sees him, his fucking mate quickly stepping into the room and slamming the door closed. Luke notices that he quickly presses up against the door, also choosing to keep distance between them.

“Luke.” Ashton says it so breathily that Luke has to supress the need to submit right there and Ashton clears his throat. “Um, hi.”

“Hi.” Luke says it quietly. If the situation were any different he’d be laughing but he can’t bring himself to even crack a smile. He also can’t bring himself to look Ashton in the eyes, look at him at all, choosing to stare at the ground somewhere near his feet.

“I, uh, I guess I should have seen this coming.” Ashton mutters. “The second that clock ticked over I knew, I’ve had a feeling… a weird feeling for so long but I never knew what it meant and now I feel like an idiot.”

“I did too.” Luke says. “I had it too.”

There is a long and thick silence between them. There are so many things that need to be said. There are so many things that Luke wants to ask. Does Ash actually want him? Does he hate him now? Is he going to banish him? Is he going to ignore him? Does he like him? Are they still friends? What about the pack? What’s going to happen to them? What about Ashton’s promise?

“You said…” Ashton trails off and then looks up to make eye contact with Luke and the younger boy just falls into it, unable to stop himself. “You said the other day, when we were talking about mates… you said that nothing would change between us no matter what happened on that night…”  
“Yes…” Luke coaxes him, still pressed hard up against the wall.  
“Can we go by that? Like… can things just not change? Can we go back to being best friends?” Ashton takes a deep breath before pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. “I’m not gay, Luke, I’ve never thought that my mate would be a guy, and I never thought it would be you. You’ve always been my best friend, and I promised you that I would be here for you through everything, and I refuse to leave you because of this. Fate is just fucking with us okay. I think we can get around this. I’m always going to be by your side and I can promise you that, but I can’t be your mate and I hope that’s okay.”

Luke wants to agree so bad, he wants to go back to being best friends more than anything but his wolf, his wolf does not like anything that Ashton is saying and he can’t stop himself from whimpering slightly. Ashton’s fingers twitch and he makes a step forward before pulling himself back.  
“Don’t do that.” He snaps. “I can’t deal with you being upset, Luke, especially not now. Don’t you dare do that.”  
“I’m sorry, it’s not me, it’s not me, it’s my wolf.” Luke gasps out; buries his face in his hands because he’s about to cry and Ashton really won’t like that. “I want to, so badly, Ashton, you have no idea. I want nothing more than to be your best friend, forever, nothing more, but my wolf, he can’t- he can’t handle it. The rejection, it’s killing me. It hurts.”  
“It’s not rejection.” Ashton says quickly. “I never rejected you, and I never will. I want you _and_ your wolf to be my best friend, but I just can’t handle the mates thing. There are so many reasons why this can’t work. I’m not gay, we’re best friends, I’m the alpha, I’m supposed to be produce an heir, my father would kill me if he were still here, I-“  
“Fuck your father, Ashton.” Luke growls and Ashton stiffens at the noise. God, if it doesn’t instantly make his wolf want to mate with Luke right then and there, but it’s his _wolf,_ not him. He forces himself to think of other things, things that have nothing to do with how he’s never realised that Luke’s eyes are so beautiful, how his lips are perfect, what he’d look like when he’s… Luke sighs. “I want this, Ashton. I want to be friends, not mates, but I’m not sure if we can.” Luke feels like he’s lying, even though he’s pretty sure he’s not. He doesn’t want to be mates. He thinks.

“Sure we can. All we have to do is just, like, ignore our wolves. It can’t be that hard, right?” Luke gives him a blank stare. “We’ll be fine. I just want my best friend back.” Ashton says desperately and Luke shrugs.  
“We can try, I guess.”

“Yay!” Ashton cheers and Luke laughs at him and, fuck, if it doesn’t hurt that he really wants to hug him but he can’t.

 

Honestly, it’s the stupidest thing that the two of them have done to date, but they give the idea a good try. They just don’t touch, at all, and when they hang out there is always at least two metres space between them and they don’t go for runs anymore because it’s one thing to control yourself as a human, it’s another to control your wolves.

It kind of completely sucks. And Luke hates it.  
One morning, Ashton isn’t in a good mood and Luke decides that he doesn’t like seeing him upset, it actually physically hurts.  
“Ashton, what’s wrong? I can’t take one more second of you glaring at nothing.”  
They’re sitting on the couch in Ashton’s house, watching a movie. They’re both on either end of the couch, as far away from each other as possible really.

It’s a hot day and Ashton has to dig his fingers into the leather of the couch because Luke smells really, _really_ good and it’s totally fucking with him.

He regards the younger boy for a second before sighing. He can’t keep secrets from him.

“Kara broke up with me.”  
Luke doesn’t react for a second.  
“Is that a bad thing?”

“Yes, it’s a bad thing!” Ashton bites and Luke groans.  
“Are you fucking serious? Are you saying that you’re upset that a girl who is not your mate broke up with you when your actual mate is sitting right in front of you?” Luke kind of wishes he hadn’t said that but at the same time he feels like he would’ve ended up saying something worse if he bottled it.

“We’re not mates, Luke. Or we are, but fuck, I wanted a real mate.”

The hurt that flashes across Luke’s face has Ashton feeling dry-mouthed but then suddenly the boy is crying and Ashton panics.

“Shit. Shit, Luke, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. I can’t take it.” His wolf lets out a whine as Luke hides his face and tries to quell his sobs.  
“This is fucking useless, Ashton. Who are we kidding? Everything has changed. We can’t be friends anymore. We don’t even look at each other.” Luke feels his hurting wolf instantly perk up as suddenly arms are wrapping around him and he’s being pulled into the sweetest of embraces, and he doesn’t try to fight, couldn’t possibly even if he did try. It feels so perfect, so right, to be in Ashton’s arms that Luke instantly stops crying and he kind of hates himself for it.

“Shh, I’m right here, Lukey.” Ashton can’t really stop himself from saying it, wanting to comfort his mate, needing to, and also wanting to comfort his best friend. “It’s okay, we’ve just got to work through this. We’ll be fine.”

Luke calms down and they both know that they should let go, go back to their opposite sides of the couch but neither of them pull away. For Ashton, he can’t help but brim with pride as he holds Luke in his arms, feel important and happy to be the one to comfort his mate, to cheer him up instantly. For Luke, he couldn’t think of a more comfortable position to be in, wrapped up in everything that is Ashton: warmth, kindness and happiness. Despite their less than happy situation, in that moment Luke feels only joy.

Luke looks up at the same time that Ashton looks down and they both freeze.  
“Oh god, I want to kiss you.” Ashton breathes out and it makes Luke’s own breath hitch.  
“We-we can’t, best friends don’t… kiss…” He says slowly, lightly pushing Ashton away but not meaning it at all.

“Just… just once…” Ashton says, leaning forward slowly, and then suddenly someone else is in the room and Luke feels cold as Ashton disappears from next to him to the other side of the couch in a matter of milliseconds.

“Oops, sorry.” It’s Harry, Ashton’s younger brother. Ashton’s can’t figure out if his little brother has just done him a huge favour or robbed him of something amazing but he can’t bring himself to be mad at him anyway.

“S’okay, Harry.”

“I better get going.” Luke mutters, standing up.

“Uh, yeah, um, I’ll see you… around.”

“Yeah.” Luke mumbles before fleeing, and it can only be described as fleeing, as he literally runs from the house and Ashton would breathe a sigh of relief but everything still smells like Luke and he really wishes he had just kissed him while he was in the moment.

 

They avoid each other for two more weeks. The times that they bump into each other they just studiously ignore the other and it hurts like hell for both of them but they don’t really know what else to do.

Luke tries not to feel depressed but it’s hard. Calum comes to visit a few times and Luke tries not to be a total ass to him but it’s difficult when he feels like his heart is broken a little bit.

“Oh, honey, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of.” Luke gapes at his mother as she sits beside him in his bed where he has been moping. She had asked if he wanted something to eat and he had kind of just… spilled everything? Forgive him for being slightly emotional, but can you blame him?

“What?”  
“You can’t deny yourself from your own mate. That’s ridiculous. There are people out there who get their mates taken from them or even killed, and can you imagine how much pain they’re in?” Luke winces at the thought of Ashton ever being in pain. He’ll be damned if he ever lets that happen.

“But mum, it’s not fair. Ash, he’s my best friend. We suddenly can’t be best friends anymore all because of fate.”

“And why not?”

“Huh?”  
“Why can’t you be friends anymore?” His mum is talking nice and sweetly to him and it’s kind of irritating but, hey, mothers know best.

“Because… everything is different now. We’re different.”  
“In what ways are you different?”  
“We just are okay? Everything feels different. What kind of question is that?” Luke snaps and his mother frowns at him.

“Luke Hemmings, do not use that tone with me.” Luke rolls his eyes before his mum continues. “Okay, name something that’s different about the way you feel towards Ashton now.”  
Luke hesitates.

“He smells really good.” He says, blushing slightly at saying this to his mother but she just nods.  
“Uh huh, and what did he smell like before?” She asks and Luke goes to talk but then stops.

“The same, but it’s different now, well, it’s not but it’s just…” His mum gives him a look he doesn’t like so he sits up.  
“Okay, his eyes are all of a sudden really beautiful.”

“Yeah, and what did his eyes look like before?” His mum is smiling now and Luke splutters because he doesn’t know how to answer.

“That’s not the same… My wolf desperately wants to be around him, like all of the time, and whenever we’re together he wants to be close to him.”  
“So are you saying that your wolf didn’t want to be close to him before?”

“Yeah.” Luke says in triumph and his mum gives him a look and he realises, damn, she’s right. “Shit.”  
“Language, Luke.” She says sternly.

“Sorry.”  
“You see, honey, what I’m trying to say is that you didn’t wake up one day and suddenly Ashton was your mate. It doesn’t work like that. He has always been your mate. Ever since the day you first met him, back when you were very little, he was your mate, and everything the two of you have ever done, has been done as mates. And deep down, you’ve always known you were mates, and so has Ashton, you just didn’t know that you knew. Understand?”

Luke doesn’t reply, too stunned to think of an answer. His mum ruffles his hair before standing up and moving towards the door.

“I think you should also know that fate isn’t going to be too happy with you two denying it. You might think you can avoid this by simply avoiding each other, but it won’t work. Fate will find a way to make sure it gets its way. And you don’t want it to get to the point where the Heat strikes you.”

Luke gasps and stares at his sombre mother.

“The- the Heat? But that’s for girls!” Luke gapes at his mum, imagining the Heat that they’d been taught about at school. The wave of need that overtakes the female mate after a month has passed to ensure that the pair becomes bonded. It lasts a week and is a way of making sure that the pack can continue to grow and thrive.

“It’s not for girls, honey, it’s for the omega.” Luke stares in shock because, _shit_ , he hadn’t thought about that. That was going to complicate things, a lot.

His mother leaves without another word and Luke is left in his silence, counting the days to himself, trying to figure out how much time has passed and when he realised it’s been 28 days he buries himself in his blanket and screams into his pillow.  
Things are not going his way.

 

It starts off as just a distant ache. He wakes up one morning feeling it and thinks, ‘well, let’s hope it doesn’t get any worse,’ and then wants to punch himself because he’s probably just jinxed everything.

It’s okay for the first few hours and then it escalates really, really quickly.

He feels like his everything is way too hot and suddenly out of nowhere he’s getting these really inappropriate thoughts about a certain golden haired boy and they have Luke writhing on his bed. Jerking off does nothing, kind of just makes it worse.

By the night Luke has locked his door and started pathetically whining to himself. He’s as hard as a rock, he’s sweating bullets and he feels like dry humping _everything_.

It doesn’t help when suddenly Ashton’s name lights up on his phone.

“Hello.” He croaks and then Ashton’s voice hits him like a bucket of cold water, and he feels slightly better.

“Hey Luke, it’s Ash.”

“I know idiot, you’re in my contacts.”

“Shut up.” He can practically hear Ashton pouting and he laughs because, this is good, this is how they used to be. It’s fine when they’re not near each other. “I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. I finally have a day where there’s no alpha stuff to do and- are you okay?” Ashton’s voice falters when Luke makes a choked noise into the phone. He can’t help it, the need is suddenly hitting him in throbs as he imagines Ashton’s voice a lot rougher and deeper, whispering things to him in the middle of the night.  
“Tomorrow’s not… it’s not a good idea, Ash.” Luke pants and he knows Ashton hears it because he hesitates.  
“Why not? We’re getting through this thing, Luke, I’m not letting our friendship die out.” Ashton says it with an authority in his tone that has Luke biting back a moan. Fuck, he can’t last six more days of this, not if it’s going to get worse. 

“Just… just stay away from me… for a while, okay?” He shudders as the feeling inside of him intensifies slightly. This is torture. He would never wish this on anybody. He’s hard and throbbing and the only person who can do anything about it is miles away and doesn’t want him in that way.

“What? Luke… why?” Ashton sounds hurt and Luke feels bad but he doesn’t get it. Why did Luke have to be the omega?

“Just for a little while okay, Ashton?” His voice is breaking and Ashton probably thinks he’s being really, really weird.

“O-okay. Have I done something wrong?” Oh god, maybe they should just have phone sex right now. Luke wonders what Ashton sounds like when he moans, and oh, shit.  
“No, bye!” Luke hits the end button so hard he’s surprised that his phone screen doesn’t break.

He needs fresh air. So badly. He needs a distraction.

He bolts out of his room, almost breaking his door down in the effort to get it unlocked, before swiftly changing and breaking out into a sprint. He purposely tries to make his mind completely blank, and it’s a little bit better as a wolf, his mind is on his instincts, rather than his dick, always a good thing.

He runs and runs until he can’t run any longer. Then he turns around and walks back.

He feels better when he gets back to town. His mind is clearer now that he’s not thinking about Ashton naked and on top of him.

Never mind.

His thoughts are interrupted and he would be grateful except they’re interrupted by a giant golden wolf standing in front of him and he immediately falls to the floor in submission. He has no say in the matter either, it’s his first instinct and he follows it. He knows that Ashton is surprised but then his eyes darken in a way that has Luke wanting to howl as he stalks towards him.

It’s so much harder to deny your wolf when you’re actually in wolf form, and Ashton is feeling it. His wolf is crying out for him to completely dominate Luke and he is surprised to find that he sort of wants to anyway.

The déjà vu is intense as Ashton moves slowly over Luke before sinking his teeth into the scruff of his white furred neck. Except this time Luke let’s out a whine of approval that has Ashton growling fiercely in return.

They’re like that for a while before he gets impatient; standing up and nudging the white wolf in the direction he wants him to walk. Even when he’s standing up Luke is walking in a completely submissive way that has Ashton’s mind going crazy. Ashton doesn’t understand why his mate… uh, no, he means his best friend is acting so… different but he gets his answer when they’re eventually back at Ashton’s house. Ashton changes swiftly, putting on a pair of pants before turning to Luke.

“Luke, change back.” He says it softly and the wolf whines in response. He sounds like he’s in pain and Ashton has a brief moment of panic. “Are you okay? Why aren’t you changing?”  
The wolf tugs at Ash’s hands, nodding towards the door. Ashton hesitates for a moment before shrugging and moving inside. The air has a certain uneasiness about it that Ashton doesn’t like but he doesn’t say anything, just leads the large wolf through to his bedroom. He gently closes the door behind them as Luke moves towards the bed. He jumps up on it like he owns the damn place and Ashton smiles at him fondly.

“Okay, seriously, Luke what’s up? Why won’t you change back?” The wolf doesn’t respond. Ashton sighs and sits down next to his friend, threading his fingers through the soft fur. He likes this. He likes it a lot. He’d be willing to go to sleep like this but eventually Luke starts whining in a way that has Ashton on high alert.  
“Luke, don’t make me order you.” He says it carefully, and the white wolf gives him quite literal puppy dog eyes but Ashton is having none of it. “You have no right to be angry at me now.” He mutters. “Luke, change back now.” It’s an alpha’s order and as his mate, Luke can’t resist, so Ashton stands up and walks to his wardrobe, grabbing some clothes for his friend.

It hits him all at once. He drops the clothes and grabs the nearest shelf, holding on for dear life.

“Luke, what the _fuck?_ ” He groans out. He smells amazing. Ashton is shaking with the need to turn around.

“Fu-uck.” Luke moans, he damn moans and he sounds broken. Ashton grips the shelf so hard that he can feel it denting. “Ashton.” Oh god, his name has never sounded so perfect. “I didn’t- I didn’t do anything, it’s… the Heat…”

Ashton gasps and it makes perfect sense. Shit.  
“Shit.”

He should have known this was coming, known that as an omega Luke would go through this. He suddenly feels like a massive dick because he’s the reason that Luke is experiencing this right now.

Luke squirms where he is sitting on Ashton’s bed. He’s naked and hard and in desperate need of Ashton’s hands on him right now. He can’t think straight anymore. The Heat has gotten exceptionally worse now that he’s back in his human form. He feels hot all over, the kind of hot that air conditioners can’t solve.

“Ashton.” He chokes out, and god, could he sound anymore fucked? “N-need you.” Luke should be embarrassed, probably would be on any other day, but he can’t bring himself to be right now, too focussed on trying not to dry hump Ashton’s bed right in front of him.

Ashton splutters, turns around quickly and immediately regrets it. Luke looks thoroughly fucked out, his skin flushed, his eyes hazy as they gaze into his own and Ashton is surprised when he doesn’t feel grossed out or nervous that his male friend is naked in front of him, but he doesn’t really have time to think about that because he smells _so good._

“Fuck, Lukey.” Ashton’s voice has gone low and scratchy and Luke moans in response. Ashton’s knees go a little weak. He is overwhelmed with the desire to see all of the ways that he can break Luke. He’s never had these thoughts before, not about his best friend.

“Can’t, can’t touch myself.” Luke’s pants interrupt his sentence and it’s the hottest thing Ashton’s ever heard. “Doesn’t help. Need you, only you can…”

Ashton hesitates, because he might lose control, he might go ahead and mate with Luke, mark him, and he’s not ready for that.

But then Luke lets out another desperate moan as a wave of need hits him, hard, and Ashton thinks ‘ _fuck it_.’

He grabs Luke’s arms, making the younger boy gasp and keen towards his touch, and shoves him so he’s lying back in Ashton’s bed.

Ashton doesn’t even falter as he crawls on top of Luke, doesn’t stop for second before he’s swallowing Luke’s cries with a kiss.

Luke immediately feels so much better as Ashton is finally there, touching him, but the relief doesn’t last as Ashton’s warmth spreads throughout his entire body. His mate kissing him is the most glorious feeling Luke’s ever experienced, Ashton moving his lips perfectly over his. Luke can only respond to Ashton’s touch, feeling the need to let Ashton control everything.

Ashton swipes his tongue across Luke’s lips and the younger boy moans as he opens his mouth and then their tongues are dancing together and Ashton is pressed right up against him and Luke is _finally_ feeling some friction on his cock. Ashton doesn’t hesitate to grind down against him and Luke utters a broken cry.

Ashton pulls back quickly, looks down at the boy below him who is covered in a light sheen of sweat and Ashton has to swallow the urge to take him right there.  
“Can’t mate with you, Lukey.” Ashton murmurs against his lips and the younger boy cries out. “I want to but I-I can’t.”  
“Don’t care, just please do something.” The younger boy moans and Ashton’s resolve crumbles as he returns to kissing his best friend. Luke’s lips are so soft against his and so perfect and he tastes so good.  
Ashton is nervous but the smell of Luke is enough to let him hand everything over to instincts. He wraps one large hand around Luke and squeezes once and it’s enough to have the boy almost screaming beneath him. Ashton kisses him hard because he does _not_ want his younger siblings to hear this.

Slowly he starts to move his hand and Luke is overwhelmed with pleasure, his mind unable to focus on anything, not the thought of trying to keep quiet or the effort of trying to keep still, but the feel of Ashton’s hand wrapped around his cock.

“Ash. Ashton.” Luke moans brokenly against the older boy’s lips and then Ashton’s movement is speeding up and Luke bucks his hips up to meet his mate’s hand. “Fuck.”  
Ashton pulls back from the kiss to look down at where his hand is. Luke’s cock is hard as all hell, angrily red and leaking profusely and Ashton gets so many thoughts of different things he wants to do to the boy but he puts it on the to-do list.  
“You look so good like this, Lukey.” Ashton chokes out. The younger’s eyes are screwed tightly shut, mouth hanging open and letting out grunts and moans and Ashton wonders how he had ever pictured anything other than this in his fantasies. “Perfect. You’re perfect.”

Luke can’t last, not when it feels like this and he let’s out a scream that has Ashton quickly placing his hand over his mouth as he reaches his peak, coming all over Ashton’s hand and his own stomach. Ashton watches the whole thing and he doesn’t feel the slightest bit grossed out, just completely turned on. He never thought that this was a thing that he would see, Luke panting beneath him in total sexual pleasure and staring up at him with pure lust in his eyes, but now that Ashton’s seen it he knows that the image is going to be permanently burned to the back of his eyelids.  
“Fuck… Luke.” Ashton whispers and immediately Luke’s cheeks are flushing and he tries to push Ashton away.  
“Oh god, I am so- I’m sorry, it wasn’t, it’s not my fault, I didn’t- oh my god, please don’t hate me.” The younger boy is shaking and Ashton kisses him to shut him up, much to his surprise.  
“Luke, that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t be sorry.”  

“Really?” Luke whispers and Ashton nods. “Oh god, I need to… I need to…”

Luke exhibits a rare moment of dominance as he flips them over so that he’s on top of Ashton. The older boy stares up at him a bit shocked but then Luke presses his mouth to Ash’s hotly because he’s still hard and the need hasn’t gone away, if anything it’s gotten worse. Luke pulls away from the kiss after a moment to whisper in Ashton’s ear. “Let me pleasure you, please.”

Ashton feels like lightning has just struck him and he can do nothing more than pull Luke in for another kiss as the younger boy tugs at his shirt and whimpers.

“Off, off.” Luke manages and Ashton doesn’t waste a second, ripping his shirt off and flinging it across the room. Luke moves down immediately kissing across Ashton’s chest. He’s trying to swallow the urge to mate with him but it’s oh so hard. He distracts himself by sinking lower in a way that has Ashton groaning in anticipation.  
“Luke.” He whines as the boy takes his time. “Please.”  
Luke thinks it’s the hottest thing in the world to hear his alpha begging and at his complete mercy and with that thought he pulls Ashton’s track pants down swiftly and his hard cock is there and Luke doesn’t hesitate, or think, or even stop to appreciate the sight before him, he just dives down onto Ashton.

“Oh, oh fuck.” Ashton yells, taken by surprise and then clamping a hand down on his mouth to stop himself from making too much noise. He’s nowhere near as loud as Luke but he still doesn’t want to take a chance on having someone interrupt them because then he’ll be forced to return to reality, where Luke is his _guy_ best friend and Ashton doesn’t… didn’t want it to be like this.

Luke licks a hot stripe from the base of Ashton’s cock to the head and he tastes so amazing that Luke immediately wants more, licking around the head before taking it into his mouth. The sounds Ashton makes in response spur him onwards as he slowly takes more of his mate’s length. Ashton is in paradise, feeling nothing but the wet heat of Luke’s mouth around him and he can’t resist the urge to thread his fingers into the boy’s hair, gripping tightly. Luke moans in response, and the vibrations on Ashton’s cock are unspeakably amazing, making Ashton’s back arch off of the bed and Luke instinctually takes the rest of the alpha’s member into his mouth, thanking whoever is responsible for the fact that instincts stop him from being a fumbling virgin idiot, and Ashton is gone. The sound of Luke gagging slightly and the sight of him buried on his cock like this, it’s enough to push him over the edge. He emits a choked cry as he thrusts into Luke’s mouth and then comes apart, come painting the back of Luke’s throat. Luke takes it all like a champ, and then suddenly he’s pulling off of Ashton and in his post-orgasm haze Ash has no chance of realising what Luke’s about to do or stopping him for that matter. Luke kisses his way up Ashton’s chest, swiftly.

He could blame the Heat, if he wanted to, and, sure, it’s a pretty big factor, but Luke can’t help but realise he’s fully in control of his actions as he kisses Ashton’s neck, tries to find the perfect spot and then bites down and sucks lightly and Ashton comes again, Luke’s teeth embedded in his neck and leaving his permanent mark. He doesn’t even care anymore, he wants Ashton to be his and he wants to be connected to him.  
Ashton writhes beneath him for a moment before he collapses and Luke waits a moment before he pulls back, licks over the spot, making the alpha whimper before he pulls back slowly.  
The Heat is suddenly gone, and Luke knows that it’s not over, but it seems satisfied that at least half of the mating process is complete.

Ashton is still for a moment, trying to regain his breath and organise his thoughts, and then he feels like a tonne of bricks is dropped on his chest and he sits up, and walks over to his mirror. He inspects the mark on his neck and Luke winces when he feels the way that Ashton fills with anger, the mark connecting their spirits, or at least, connecting Ashton’s to Luke.  
“Luke, what the fuck did you do?” Ashton says quietly. Luke doesn’t answer, shaking slightly as he feels the need to back away from the furious alpha. “You knew I didn’t want to do this, you knew I didn’t want this.”

Maybe if Ashton had screamed it at him, Luke wouldn’t have felt so crushed. But it’s the way he whispers it like Luke has truly betrayed him, that destroys him. It’s the way that Luke can now feel exactly what Ashton is feeling, the hurt, the anger and the _shame_. It’s the way that Luke can hear Ashton’s thoughts now in a way he’d never thought he’d come to hate.It’s the thought that flickers through Ashton’s mind that has his heart breaking.

_Luke can never be my mate. He’s not what you want and he’s not what you need. You need someone strong, someone who can help lead the pack. Somebody who matches you. Luke is not that person. I don’t want him to be that person._

“Do you really think that?” Luke whispers, even though he knows that’s exactly what Ashton thinks, and Ashton’s eyes harden as he turns to face him.  
“Get out.” He says calmly. And Luke feels the way that that hurts for Ashton to say and he wants to argue.  
“No, Ashton, please-“  
“I said, get out!” He screams it and Luke cowers in fear because Ashton isn’t taking no for an answer and Luke runs, jumps off of the bed, sprints out the door, out of the house and then changes before running and running to the very border of their land until _finally_ he can’t feel Ashton’s thoughts or feelings anymore and he collapses.

That is where he sleeps that night, far away from any civilisation, in the cold, completely alone in every way possible.

 

Ashton wears a high-necked shirt the next day and does his best to forget everything that has happened over the past month. He attends a meeting in the morning about a pack to the north that has recently started crossing their borders and could be dangerous, but he’s too distracted.

He feels constantly angry, and hurt, that Luke would mate him without even asking, but he also feels guilty, guilty because of the look in Luke’s eyes when he rejected him and the feeling of his wolf howling at the thought that he hurt his own mate willingly.

He shoves those feelings away, knowing bitterly that Luke can probably feel them too and feeling angry all over again.

 

Luke feels better on the second day. Well, better as in, the Heat hasn’t returned yet. Besides that he feels completely and utterly shit. He returned home at six in the morning, falling into his bed and not sleeping, just noticing the distant feeling of anger that Ashton has and crying into his pillow because he’s an idiot and he never should have mated with Ashton, never should have even gone home with him, should’ve stayed home and suffered.

By 3 o’clock Luke still hasn’t left bed, not even to eat, and he growls angrily when someone pushes him out of bed.

“Come on, Luke. Every time I come to see you you’re moping.” It’s Calum and Luke can’t find it in him to act happy so he just growls again and he can practically hear Calum rolling his eyes. “Seriously, I’m not going to let you sit in your own filth all day. Let’s go hang out.”

Luke really doesn’t want to, but then feels another pang of fury coming from his mate and he thinks: maybe he does need the distraction. So he begrudgingly gets up and changes clothes (because according to Cal, ‘girl, you stank’).

Calum drags him out and then they both change and go for a run together. At first it kind of sucks because Luke and Ashton used to go for runs all of the time and now they don’t and it sucks, but then Luke starts to actually have fun, playfully fighting with Calum like they’re two newborns and Luke feels a little bit better. Calum’s wolf is the same size as his, but is midnight black with beautiful brown and amber eyes. Luke can picture himself being lifelong friends with this wolf.

“Stay the night at mine.” Calum says later, when its getting dark and they’re wandering aimlessly. “We can have a dude’s sleepover but we can still talk about our feelings and stuff.” Luke laughs and agrees because he really does want to get out of the house, instead of sitting there, moping, hoping that Ashton will come around but knowing that he won’t.

It’s funny how things work out really, because as Luke goes home to collect his stuff, Ashton starts to think to himself, think that yeah, he feels like shit because he totally broke his mate’s heart and he can’t stand to think of him hurting and he should probably go over and make sure that he’s okay, probably apologise too.

But Luke is at Calum’s and he’s laughing with him while they watch a movie and he’s cuddling up to him because Calum is a cuddly guy and Luke misses being affectionate with another person. And there are no strings attached in their friendship, no stupid mates deal that neither agreed to, no stupid need to mate or feelings of hurt and anger, just easy-goingness as they watch Mean Girls and quote every line together.  
Ashton shows up at Luke’s house, sneaking in. He’s done it before and he knows Luke’s mum doesn’t mind. He walks up to Luke’s room and is immediately hit by the smell of another wolf, someone who shouldn’t be in here, shouldn’t be with his mate in his bedroom when said mate is going through the Heat and Ashton let’s out a low growl when he finds the room deserted. His wolf is pissed and all the way on the other side of town Luke feels that but he thinks it’s just Ashton being angry with him still, so he gulps and tries to ignore it.

Calum is putting on another movie for them when suddenly the Heat returns to Luke full force and he doubles over in pain.

“Fuck.” He groans out. The fates are not happy that he’s only half-mated, obviously, because they’re attacking him with a vengeance.

“Are you alright, Luke?” Calum turns around with a frown but immediately freezes because how could anyone not smell Luke right now? “Oh my god, you didn’t tell me that you had the Heat!” Calum frantically whispers, backing up slightly because that smell is tempting, oh so tempting, even though Calum isn’t Luke’s mate.

“It stopped…” Luke is panting again and trying not to whine. “It stopped when I… when I marked Ash, I didn’t think it would come back so… soon!”

“Shit, Luke, you should have told me, I never would have… oh boy, this is bad, Ashton is going to skin me if he finds out that I’m with you. This is really, really bad.”  
“It’s fine, he won’t find out, he’s mad at me right now.” Calum already knows the whole story (well except for the explicit details) but he doesn’t think Luke realises how _not good_ this is. He backs another step away but then Luke moans softly and, oh _fuck._

“I can’t be around you right now, Luke, it’s way too tempting.”

“You… you feel it too?” Luke groans because this is way, way worse than yesterday, almost ten times worse.

“Yes, and I don’t know how the fuck Ashton ever found it in himself to resist you, you… you smell so good.” Calum gasps out and then tenses his muscles and moves towards Luke quickly. “Come on, let’s get out of here, I need to get you home right now before-“ There is a sharp, loud knock at the front door and Calum hears the way the door rattles and he is not going to lie, he is terrified that this is his last night on earth. “Fuck.”

Ashton can smell Luke all the way from the front door and he grits his teeth and bangs a fist on the door again, ignoring the way the wood dents and splinters.

“Luke, get your fucking ass out here, now.” Ashton bellows through the door and Luke whimpers at the sound of his voice and immediately his knees go weak and Calum catches him.  
“Shit, shit, shit.” Calum whispers to himself. “Come on, Luke, the door.” He pulls his friend towards the door but Luke is trembling in his arms and suddenly he hears a mighty crash and if it were anyone else he’d be pissed that his door just got knocked down but there’s no way that he’d tell off his own alpha so he just squeaks and starts praying in his head.

Ashton stalks into the room, takes in Luke draped over Calum and sees red.

“Get the fuck off of him.” He seethes and Calum immediately does what he’s told and steps away, bowing his head in submission.

Ashton grabs Luke roughly; he does his best to ignore Luke’s moans and looks at Calum with a fire in his eyes.

“Why the hell are you with my mate?” He is shaking in anger and before Calum can answer, Luke finds a flurry of strength and pushes Ashton away.

“Are you fucking serious, Ashton?” He snaps and the older boy immediately turns to look at him, narrowing his eyes. “I’m hanging out with my friend and you’re getting all jealous and protective _now?_ When you said you don’t even want me as a mate?” Ashton winces, but then steels his shoulders.

“I never said that-“  
“You thought it, Ashton, I heard it. You have no right to be here. Leave.”  
Calum silently widens his eyes at the way that Luke stands up to Ashton, admiring that he has the balls to order an alpha around. If anyone is ever going to put Ashton in his place and live to see the next day, it’s going to be Luke.

“You marked me without my permission, Luke, I was angry and I said… or thought things I didn’t mean and-“  
“Oh, that’s rich, Ashton. You’re only saying that because you’re a jealous piece of shit!” Luke doesn’t really know where he’s finding all of this courage but it’s probably stupid.

“You are associating with a male wolf while you have the Heat, Luke. He could have fucked you and you’re too naïve to even realise that, hey, that’s cheating on your mate.”  
“Maybe I wanted Calum to fuck me then? It would be better than you, because at least he’d act like maybe he wants me and that he’s not ashamed to have me, unlike you. And I don’t have a mate, remember? He rejected me.” Ashton bristles at Luke’s words, stepping forward and finally Luke is aware of his position and quickly steps backwards, but Ashton is not having it.  
He pushes Luke up against the wall roughly and the younger boy tries to escape his grip defiantly, but there’s no hiding that he bites back a moan.  
Ashton turns to Calum who is watching on, completely stunned.  
“Leave us.” He hisses and Calum, inspired by Luke’s rebellion against the alpha maybe, protests.  
“This is my house!”  
“If you don’t leave this house within five seconds you will be banished!” He screams it and Calum immediately bolts, terrified.

“Are you joking, you can’t order my friend around like that! What the fuck is wrong with you? You don’t want to be my mate, so you have no right to come in and act like you own me-“  
“I do own you.” Ashton hisses and then grinds his hips up against Luke’s, satisfied when Luke moans and throws his head back so that it hits the wall, suddenly reminded of the fact that, oh yeah, he desperately needs Ashton right now. “You are mine, nobody else’s. Nobody else get’s to touch you like I do, or see you like this, nobody but me. You got that?”  
Luke is almost completely gone to the feeling of Ashton grinding against him but he is still pissed so he looks up, managing his best glare and levelling it on Ashton.

“Fuck you.” He spits and Ashton narrows his eyes. “You don’t get to act like you’re my-“  
“Your mate.” Ashton finishes, grabbing Luke’s hands and pinning them to the wall and Luke doesn’t even bother to fight him and Ashton knows it. “I am your mate, and you’re mine. Mine only. If you won’t listen, then I’ll show you.” Ashton’s words come out in a growl before he connects their lips roughly and Luke immediately moans, immediately kisses him back, and Ashton wants to smirk because he knows he’s already won but he’s too caught up in the way Luke tastes, perfect, perfect for him.

Luke is whining beneath him again so Ashton picks him up, surprising the boy who yelps into his mouth, before walking over to the couch and dropping back onto it so that Luke is in his lap and Luke immediately grinds down onto Ashton’s crotch and the older boy groans, never letting their lips disconnect as their tongues intertwine.

Luke continues to roll his hips down into Ashton’s while Ashton eventually moves down from kissing Luke to graze his teeth against his neck. His wolf is screaming at him to bite down and mark Luke, mate with him but Ashton manages to resist. He wants to make Luke come again and again first. Luke immediately whimpers at the feeling as Ash sucks roughly on the skin where Luke’s neck meets his shoulder, bucking his hips slightly before Ashton flips them so Luke is lying on the couch and he’s hovering over him.  
“Mine.” Ashton growls, and Luke moans again, higher pitched as Ashton quite literally rips his clothes off. Ashton immediately bites marks into Luke’s chest, trying to quell his need to mate with him by bruising his body all over as Luke shivers underneath him. He moves lower and lower still until he reaches Luke’s hard and leaking cock and he pauses for a moment, looking up to smile up at Luke in a way that Luke can only describe as evil.  
“Ashton.” He gasps out, wanting, needing something, anything. “Please.”  
“What’s that, Lukey?” Ashton lips brush against the head of Luke’s cock lightly as he speaks and the younger boy tries to buck his hips up but Ashton easily holds him down. He doesn’t say anything because he knows Luke can hear his thoughts and he knows what he wants.

“Ash, please. Don’t… I can’t take it.” Luke feels tears prickling at his eyes because the Heat is so painfully intense and when Ashton blows lightly on the head of his cock Luke _breaks._

“Oh, god, please, Ashton, I’m yours, please don’t tease me, I’m yours! I swear I’m yours, only yours, no one else’s!” Luke babbles and writhes beneath Ashton and the alpha smiles, his eyes fiery with lust.  
“Good, Lukey.” He coos before he finally leans down, pressing a kiss to the tip of Luke cock, tongue darting out to collect the pre-come steadily leaking from the boy’s aching length.  
“Oh, fu-uck, Ashton!” Luke moans and Ashton loves it when he moans his name so he immediately opens his mouth and takes Luke in one go, bobbing his head up and down. The sound of Luke’s cries are enough to spur him on and Ashton doesn’t even care about anything anymore, just this, only this, the sound of Luke moaning his name.

“Ashton, Ashton, I’m going to… you have to stop!” Luke is tugging at Ashton’s hair and Ash groans because it turns him on. The feeling has Luke coming down his throat and Ashton takes it all, thinks that Luke tastes perfect and he would never change any of this, not ever.

Luke is still as hard as ever when Ashton pulls off of him, the Heat not granting him any mercy and tears spill down his cheeks because he’s so frustrated, he just wants this need to end.  
“Ash, it’s not enough, it’s not enough, it hurts!” Ashton crawls back up so that he’s hovering over Luke and gently kisses away his tears.  
“Sshh, Lukey, it’s okay. I’ll make it all better, I promise.” With that the older boy hoists Luke up so that he’s sitting with his head on the arm of the couch, and then he sinks back down between the blonde boy’s long legs again, licking into his mouth as a hand travels down slowly, over his balls, and then between his cheeks to press gently against his hole.

Luke is continuously moaning into Ashton’s mouth as he slowly moves the tip of his finger around his hole in circles, Luke trying to push down onto his finger and Ashton obliges, his finger immediately sinking down to the knuckle as Luke is wet with the Heat.  
“Oh fuck!” Luke cries out against Ashton’s mouth, making the older boy chuckle as he pumps his finger in and out of Luke slowly, gently adding another but Luke is way ahead of him. “Please, Ashton, faster.”  
Ashton groans slightly at Luke’s wrecked voice before increasing his pace, pumping what soon becomes three fingers relentlessly into the younger boy, angling his fingers a bit before suddenly Luke is coming again as Ashton presses against his prostate and Luke screams out.

“Please, Ashton, fuck me, please, please, Ash!” He moans throughout his orgasm and Ashton moans merely at the sight and at the feeling of Luke clenching around him. He pulls his fingers out and brings them up, pressing them into Luke’s mouth, mainly to shut him up but also because it’s the fucking hottest thing he’s ever seen.

Ashton quickly pulls his own clothes off, finally joining Luke in the realm of nudity and leans down over his best friend, his mate, not feeling one hint of regret.

“You ready, Lukey?” He asks softly and Luke leans up to kiss him, threading shaking hands through Ashton’s curly hair.  
“Please.” He groans and then Ashton pushes in, all the way in one go and Luke doesn’t feel an ounce of pain, only absolute satisfaction and he can’t even moan, mouth falling open in a silent cry and he pulls on Ashton’s hair and that’s enough to get Ash moving.  
“You’re all mine, Lukey.” Ashton pants, amazed at how perfect he feels right now, wrapped up in Luke’s heat. “All mine.”  
“Yours, Ash, yours.” Luke utters mindlessly as Ashton fucks him with unrelenting force. He is being pushed down into the leather of the couch harshly, and he’s probably going to have bruises from where Ashton is holding his hips tightly, but he doesn’t care.

Ashton watches Luke's face, the way his mate's jaw slackens and little cries fall from his lips and his eyes close and Ashton thinks that he has  _finally_ made the right decision in his life. Seeing this, seeing Luke like this... well, he doesn't need anything else. 

A guttural moan is ripped from Ashton’s mouth when suddenly Luke leans up and bites down on the visible mark that he left only one night ago, electricity shooting through him and he is definitely about to come so he leans down, kissing Luke harshly.

He moves down to his neck, whispers, “mine,” against his skin one more time for good measure before he bites down on Luke’s neck, knowing instinctively where to do it, and Luke’s scream will surely wake up the neighbours but Ashton doesn’t care because he suddenly feels like every question he’s ever had in life has been answered and he wouldn’t care if he died right now because he’s complete, finally.

Luke comes at the same time as Ashton, moaning continuously as Ashton thrusts his final thrusts into him and then Ashton collapses on top of him, teeth still digging into his neck and it’s almost painful but then Ashton pulls back and licks over the newly made mark and he feels everything that Luke is feeling, can hear his thoughts and everything is perfect. He wants to kick himself for not doing this sooner, but he wouldn’t change anything about this moment.

There is silence for a moment where Ashton just enjoys the sound of Luke’s heart pounding in his mind. To be connected to somebody like this is so comforting that Ashton feels like nothing in the world could compare.

Ashton knows Luke’s about to cry before he even does but it doesn’t stop him from being surprised when the boys yelps and pulls away from him suddenly, Ash feeling cold in all of the places that they were once touching.

Luke curls up into a ball and quickly covers his face with his hands, embarrassed that he’s crying.

“Luke, Luke, please don’t cry.” Ashton whimpers, immediately curling up against the boy. “It hurts me.”  
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way, Ashton.” Luke sobs and it breaks the alpha’s heart. “We agreed that we didn’t want this- we didn’t want this.”

“I do want this, Luke. And you can’t deny that you do too. We’re mates and maybe I was too stupid to accept that at first but we were always meant to be together. I accept that.”

“But you’re ashamed of me.” Luke whimpers and Ashton leans back, horrified at the thought of Luke thinking that. Luke feels that Ashton is about to protest and shakes his head. “I felt it, Ashton, yesterday, and now, I can feel it. You’re ashamed of me.”

“Luke, I’m not ashamed of you. How could you ever think that? You’re the only thing in my life that I’m proud of, the only thing that I look back on and think, ‘yeah, at least I did something right,’ even though I’ve messed things up between us so many times. I love you.” Luke gasps, pulls his hands away from his face and stares at Ashton, at the sincerity in his eyes. “I have always loved you, Luke, I just didn’t realise it. And it’s stupid, I’m stupid for ever hurting you, and I’m sorry-“  
Luke interrupts him when he places his hand on Ashton’s cheek staring into his eyes.

“Then, what am I feeling?” He whispers and Ashton shrugs. “Shame, Ashton, I can feel it, I can feel it right now.” Realisation flashes across his face when he places his hand over Ashton’s chest, over his heart, and notices the way that the older boy won’t maintain eye contact. “You’re ashamed of yourself.” He states and Ashton looks away, staring at the ground. “Why, Ashton?”  
“Because, Luke, I hurt you, so many times.” He chokes out. “I knew it yesterday without even feeling the connection. Everything I said, or thought, I hurt you and that’s something that I don’t ever want to do. And I’ve let you down; I’ve let everybody down. An alpha is supposed to be there for the pack, is supposed to support everybody like a family and look at what I’ve done. I’ve hurt you, I hurt your friend, I’ve made no contributions to meetings because I can’t think properly and all of the elders look at me like they’re worried about my leadership, they think I can’t do it, and they’re probably right, I probably can’t! There’s an enemy pack out there that wants to hurt us and I can’t do anything to stop it from happening.”

Luke gently moves his thumb to wipe away the one tear that streaks down Ashton’s face and then leans in and kisses him softly.

“Ashton, you say you’re ashamed of yourself, but I couldn’t be more proud of you.” He says and Ashton doesn’t look at him in the eyes, but he feels the way that he’s listening very attentively to his every word. “I’ve been proud of you since before we even talked because you’ve always been the perfect leader. I used to watch you walk past in the hallways and think that you were like the sun. Everybody needed you around; everybody wanted you around because you’re like sunshine, Ashton. You’re strong, brave, kind and loyal, you’re fair and loving and everybody looks up to you. You don’t see it, but they do. Everywhere we go, everyone who looks at you, they look at you with hope.” Luke doesn’t let go of Ashton’s face, his thumb making small circles over the boy’s cheeks and he feels the way Ashton leans into his touch. “When your dad left… the whole pack was shaken. He abandoned us. He wasn’t a true alpha. No alpha abandons their pack. Everybody who looks at you knows that you’re going to be our redemption. Because they look at you and they know that you’re never going to do that, that you would never abandon us like that. You are stronger than your father ever was, a better leader by miles. You might not believe it yet, but I believe it. I have faith in you. You’re going to make our pack stronger than it ever was. And I’ll always be here beside you to prove to you that I believe in you, and I’ll keep telling you until you believe it.” He taps the underside of Ashton’s chin lightly, making the older boy look at him properly. “And as for hurting me, well, you have the rest of your life to make it up to me.” Luke smiles gently and Ashton smiles too, despite himself.

“Thank you.” He says it quietly and he tries to convey everything he’s feeling into those two words and Luke gets it because he leans down again and kisses Ashton.

“I’m going to make love to you, now.” Ashton announces and Luke grins slightly.  
“On Calum’s couch, in Calum’s lounge room. How romantic.” He smirks and Ashton laughs, biting down on the sensitive mark and making Luke moan.

“I’ll make it up to him somehow.” Ashton says and then he’s kissing Luke and they’re moving together and it’s not until fifteen minutes later when Ashton is moving inside of Luke slowly and Luke moans out, “love you” that Ashton stops.

“Oh god, don’t stop.” Luke groans and Ashton just stares down at him.  
“You said you love me.” Ashton says and Luke opens his eyes and looks at Ashton.  
“Yeah? Did I not say that already?” He says, a bit out of breath and Ashton shakes his head. “Oh, I meant to. Oops.”

Ashton chuckles and kisses Luke softly. “You’re an idiot.” He says happily and Luke just laughs in agreement.

“I do love you though.” Luke says as Ashton starts moving again, the air leaving his lungs in pants. “So much. So much.”

“I love you too, Lukey. More than you’ll ever know.”

\--

“Oh god. Oh my god. I’m so sorry! I thought you’d be gone!” Calum’s shrieks are what wakes Ashton up in the morning. He feels like he’s had the best sleep of his lifetime, and he’s a bit dazed as he looks up to see a mortified Calum covering his eyes and turning around.

“Calum!” Luke says happily, but then he seems to remember that he’s totally lying on his friend’s couch completely naked after a long night of fucking his mate on said couch. Oh.

Ashton acts before Luke can, grabbing the blanket that has fallen to the ground that he’d stolen from the cupboard and throwing it over the two of them.

“I’m just going to go, I’m so sorry!” Calum’s face is bright red as he makes for the door.

“No don’t!” Ashton says and Calum freezes. “It’s all good. Stay.” The dark haired boy seems reluctant but doesn’t disobey; slowly turning around and sighing in relief to see the two are covered. “Calum, I owe you an apology. I was out of control last night. I would never banish you and I’m sorry for even mentioning the word.”

“It’s okay!” Calum squeaks.

Luke is extremely embarrassed as he recalls the events from the previous night in glimpses.

“Um, sorry about… yeah, everything.” He mumbles and Calum just shrugs.  
“So you guys, uh…” he gestures to the couch and then to them and Luke blushes.

“I’ll buy you a new couch.” Ashton offers and Calum just nods, glad that he lives alone at the least.  
“Let’s just forget this ever happened, yeah?” Calum says and the boys both just nod and then Calum mumbles that he’s going to go “somewhere else” and Luke isn’t sure who starts first but soon he and Ashton are laughing so hard that they’re crying.

Later Calum comes back and the others are a lot less naked and after a few minutes of awkwardness they start talking. And Calum learns that Ashton is really funny and Ashton thinks Calum is cool so long as he doesn’t come onto his mate and Luke, well Luke is just happy to be here.

\--

He steals through the night, blending in with the darkness as he moves through enemy territory warily.

If his pack found out what he’s doing, he’d be banished. He’s a traitor and a delinquent, but he supposes he always has been. Not to mention, if the enemy pack found out he’d be brutally murdered, probably.

He doesn’t care though, a craving running through his veins that forces him to stealthily move through the outskirts of town until he’s lingering outside a house that he’s visited many, many times. He stalks up to the yard, making sure not to leave any tracks or make any moves that will give away that he’s here.

He’s the best hunter in their pack, by far, and he knows it. Sneaking around is his specialty.

He collapses when he’s at a safe distance from the house but can still observe the entrance. He rests on he ground and a long time passes before finally his mate walks out. The boy looks distressed and the enemy wolf desperately wants to help him, but he can’t, instead watching as the boy catches his breath before swiftly shifting and running off.

Michael wants to follow the stunning black wolf, but he can’t.

They’re enemies, fate playing with them in a way that is sick and twisted. Their paths are destined to cross, sooner than either of them thinks, but it’s not what either of them is expecting, much less what they want.

                                                                               


End file.
